Mr Malafide and the house elf
by Puralika Mohanty
Summary: He was twisted and she was scared of him. He always gave her the cold shoulder and she was more than happy to keep him at an arm's length. She loved life and believed every day, everything that was happening was a miracle. He looked at life to be something vile and disgusting. To him, people who enjoyed life were blatant fools and she was no exception. He hated her.
1. Prologue

_Prologue_

Everyone can start at any point. And for Usubi, she decided to start after the End. She loved the school and her recent possession made her feel that she could keep on loving it. Moreover, there was that declaration from the ministry. Ah, how could she forget it. Coming back to her starting she decided that the best time to start would be tomorrow, but after mulling over this thought, she scolded herself for she had had the same thought the day before yesterday, the day before and she had been thinking the same for the last three months.

Preparations are necessary, she liked to tell herself, but realized it later how that was an excuse for her procrastination. What had she learnt in that story? She tried to recollect, seeing as how scatter-brained she was, it took quite a moment before she remembered that the story taught her that the best time to start was now. As she rose, she smoothed her greased, poor excuse of a frock and then apparated straight to the headmaster's, scratch that, headmistress' office.

The old lady engrossed in her paperwork wrote on with her quill and acknowledged her presence only with slowing down to dip the required device in the inkpot and saying: "Yes?"

Usubi took a sharp breath and inhaled as much oxygen as she could. She inhaled deeply as if, in the next moment, the twilight infused room would vacuum itself and leave nothing for her to breathe.(She liked to be self-sufficient.)

"May I talk to professor Dumbledore?" she squeaked. Started with a bang, ended with a whimper.

"Of course."

She fidgeted and shuffled her weight on her feet and then clasped her hands behind her back, looking down through out the activity as though the ground would sneak away and let her fall through if she lost sight of it. (She was very cautious about such things.)

"May I take him?" she whispered. Professor Mcgonagall would have missed it if it hadn't been the silence and the enormous grandeur of of the room that allowed her tiny voice to have an echo. For so small a voice, the echo was unimaginable. Professor Mcgonagall looked up. "Oh no, it's okay if I can't. I'm sorry to bother you. Good evening" Usubi started, terrified at realizing that the mistress was looking at her and turned around to apparate.

"I never said you may not."

Usubi stopped at once and turned to face the professor, her eyes welled in tears and her elongated ears shaking slightly perhaps. "Oh thank you, thee hath no idea what it means to me!" Usubi had this habit of mixing contemporary English and Shakespearean English when she was overwhelmed. And the tears? Well, it's a house elf thing one can suppose.

She apparated to Dumbledore's picture and immediately vanished from sight. Professor Mcgonagall who had known Usubi for years, shrugged and continued with the reading and writing and scanning and marking and signing the documents.

Usubi sat in the room of the requirement with the picture of Hogwarts greatest headmaster. The sky had changed from yellow to orange, orange to red, red to dark blue and dark blue to black. It was only when moonlight streamed in that Usubi picked up enough courage (yes, courage was quite a bit of mess in her scattered brain and it took quite a lot of time to pick it all up, or so she likes to imagine.) to talk the talk she wanted to talk.

"Good evening professor."

"Good evening. I assume that greetings and pleasantries is not the only reason that you have brought me here." Dumbledore smiled good naturedly.

"Yes, ah I meant no." she shook her head to clear herself.

"Go on."

"Well, I was, uh, thinking about discussing some improbabilities."

"About the end?" the picture supplied

Usubi nodded mutely.

"What kind of improbabilities?"

"You know, what if" Usubi started, looked for a fraction of second at the headmaster and then looked down again. "You never died?" she finished hurriedly.

"Then Voldemort would have won" Dumbledore answered easily.

"Huh?" she hadn't expected such a straight answer. "I mean why?" She corrected herself and scolded herself for being as impolite as to display so freely her disbelief.

Dumbledore chuckled.

"That, you won't understand, my child. But I can see that you are going to ask what if professor Snape hadn't died."

"Right." Usubi gasped. It never ceased to fascinate Usubi how Dumbledore knew exactly what she was thinking. She was amazed to the extent that she forgot to close her mouth.

"I'm afraid but there's a possibility of a fly entering your systems."

Usubi immediately closed her mouth with a force that her teeth crashed and the feeling send down a shot of cold chill and pain trough her body. Dumbledore smiled. "But there are some people –students to be particular – whose deaths were unnecessary and should they live, the outcome remains unchanged. "

"How doth thee know?"

"I believe there's a means at your disposal that can help you with your task."

"Yes sir!"

Usubi understood that Dumbledore knew exactly what he was talking about and the rest of the conversation took place in silence as each understood the other. Usubi, even with her unorganized self, was very good at talking in silence once the rapport was established. It wasn't telepathy, just mutual feelings that she understood better and liked it that way.

In the night when she had finished her conversation with only a few phrases and sentences being spoken here and there, she apparated back to the office, put the picture in its erstwhile place and thanked professor Mcgonagall. In the last parting glance, Usubi caught the twinkle in Dumbledore's eye and she smiled. She raised her hand to her left eye covering it and then she disappeared. But the gesture had meant more than peculiar to the former headmaster. It was a wink.


	2. Letters

Chapter-1: Letters

During the two days, neither Usubi nor professor Mcgonagall were seen around. But their absence was completely unrelated to each other and the reasons different. Usubi, it seemed, had simply disappeared or as more appropriately it should be said, fell off the face of earth while the headmistress buried herself deep in the documents, determined to complete them and get on with the order in the next two days. On the third day, when professor Mcgonagall had written out all the letters and Usubi reappeared, both of them met. Usubi had as usual, apparated into the office from her previous location, unsurprising the professor. She was a complete wreck when she appeared.

"I am sorry, professor." she said with downcast eyes "I, just, sort of hurried over when I heard you were finished with the letters." A huge beetle worried her momentarily, as she tore it out of her hair and carefully pocketed it in her slung bag that had only quite a few seams intact and was heavily over indulged by her 'trinkets.'

The headmistress pushed her glasses further up her nose, as she eyed the three foot something house elf. Her dark hair could be easily be passed off for hay and her white frock for a dish cloth that had been mercilessly used for the purpose of cleaning dishes, shoes, goblets and to an extent floors. Her leather bag was a spectacle, even for the rough use it had been through, it still stayed on the elf's person, but was dangerously edging on the brim of snapping and dropping off any moment. And the elf's face! Brown hued, not due to her natural skin colour but it seemed more like she had been rolling in every ditch she passed.

"And why were you in such a hurry?" she asked, keeping an eye on the beetle as it tried to crawl out of the bag, not finding enough room in it. But had it gone deeper it would have found other insects in whose company it could delight itself.

"I, well, wanted to- " Usubi started but cut off to stupefy the beetle and finding no place to keep decided to hold it in her hands. "Where was I? " she asked after the little excitement.

"You wanted to?" the woman in the seat supplied, firmly but not unpleasantly. She would have been lying through her teeth, if she said she didn't like Usubi, who even in her far from perfect manners and demeanor was rather submissive and inclined to help everyone.

"Yes. I am sorry. I wanted to – oh dear how shall I put it – deliver the, umm, letters." Usubi completed finally with all of her thoughts and interruptions aloud in her small statements.

"But we have owls for that."

"Nay. I don't mean all the letters. " she began hastily "Just the Weasleys." She finished quietly and looked up for the first time since she had entered the office. The office, as Usubi now noticed, was well lighted thanks to the morning light and with its queer little possessions and pictures it looked more entertaining to her than the previous twilight meeting. But she focused on the job at hand and willed herself to look at the tired old lady who sat behind the incredible wooden table rather stiffly. The lady's features relaxed as she unlocked her fingers and took her elbows off the table. She leaned back and closed her eyes for what seemed exactly like 21 seconds to Usubi (She was counting.)

"I can't see why not." Professor Mcgonagall smiled at her and in return Usubi gleefully gleamed at the headmistress through her tears. She thanked the woman profusely as she took the letters of three people from her and wrapped them neatly in a handkerchief (borrowed from Mcgonagall).

Usubi spread on the table three stupefied insects, a few cakes and sweets, the beetle she held and other variety of items. After putting the letters, she vainly tried to stuff them all in. Professor Mcgonagall helped her as she cast an expansion charm and filled the bag, Usubi made a mental note to learn that spell and bid the lady goodbye. As she prepared to apparate, the headmistress called her.

"Do take the liberty to be clean before you deliver those letters."

The elf blushed and she promised she'll be clean and shiny when she reached the burrow. Then she apparated away, leaving the transfiguration professor mildly amused and rather refreshed.

After a few more breaths, professor Mcgonagall lifted her wand and pointed at the window that opened immediately and soon enough a parliament of owls entered the room and a letter was handed to each of them. This process took a few minutes to complete and the Hogwarts headmistress watched the last owl fly away. She sighed tiredly and looked at the last letter that lay on her magnificent table. She had purposefully left it owl-less. She stood up and summoned her cocked hat and emerald green tartan robe. The letter lay alone, bereft of its accompanying letters, plain in sight. It lay there, for everybody to see the name of its recipient – Draco Lucius Malfoy.

Author's note:

There! That's the first mention of Draco. But don't worry, the next chapter will include more Harry Potter characters. And if you are curious to know what Usubi looks like here's the link - art/ Usubi-550853754 (remember to remove the spaces.)

Special thanks to Shadythedragon, who by a kind gesture, won my heart and motivated me to post this chapter so soon. Love you shady.

You either loved it or hated it, just let me know which it was for you. Yes?


	3. To the Burrow

Chapter - 2: To the Burrow

Usubi, in her tiny little cottage beside Hagrid's, came out of the bathroom, perfectly clean and wet. Her hair could no longer be mistaken with hay but rather be rivaled with seaweeds out of water. However, Usubi had no intention of drying them for she fancied her hair, in such a hideous state, looked quite clean and shiny. She walked up to her trunk and pulled out a large piece of bed sheet, which she had managed to earn at Hogsmeade by working for a wizard. Back then, she had loved the chessboard pattern on it and decided it'd make a lovely frock. Though she had never worn it, because the holes she had cut in them were a bit too big and she had hoped that in three summer's time she would grow into it, but of course, it wasn't to be. She had grown, yes, but not enough. Nevertheless, she slipped it on and wished she might have grown a bit more in the last three seconds, it was vain but an inspiration came to her and she searched her trunk again and after many minutes managed to fish out a ribbon shaped brooch, she'd bought only because she had wanted, at that time, to possess something glittery. She carefully took it out of the case and went to the mirror whereupon she crunched all the extra fabric that hanged about and pinned it with the help of her sparkling black brooch on her left shoulder. She slung her bag across the other shoulder and admired herself. She didn't look altogether unbecoming but not entirely comely as well. Usubi checked the contents of the bag for the last time and apparated for the Burrow./span/p

There was quite an excitement going on inside the Burrow. For one thing, the preparations for a late breakfast had caused quite an avalanche of chores and still more cleaning to do. Along with "I won't do this" or "You better pick those up," there were shouts of "Blimey! I cut my hand!" and "Stop waving that knife near my eye, will ya?". More such generalizations were being made by everybody at everybody else in the absence of Arthur and Molly Weasley. And the fact that Ginny was upstairs, sick in the bed, didn't help the scene much except for a shout out of nowhere that said something along the line of – "Shut up! Ginny's sleeping!" and a responding shout from upstairs said, "I was trying to before that hell of a noise!" And somebody brilliantly replied, "You bloody well try harder then."

The huge crew hadn't prepared the breakfast and upon perceiving the time had decided to go for a brunch and resumed with the previous peaceful (read chaotic) preparations.

Amidst this, out of nowhere a small body popped right in the center of the war. All hands wielding knife and wands fell, including the cries of "Enguarde!" and "Vengeance is mine!"(Cries continued for a few seconds after silence and were maintained thanks to the collaborative effort of the Weasley twins.) The furor in the room collapsed at once as everyone peered at the curious little figure, which bowed and squeaked a sorry before walking to the door and going out. Everybody looked at each other in silence while Harry and Ron shrugged in answer to Hermione's unspoken question.

A knock sounded at the door. Charlie, the eldest Weasley in the room at the moment got the door while shushing some background comments like "Oh Merlin! What on earth-"

"Yes?" he asked inquiringly as he looked down at the elf./span/p  
"I'm here to deliver letters."

"Letters?" Charlie looked about in the room questioningly and couldn't possibly fathom whose letters it might be, "Who sent them?"

"Hogwarts."

Everybody froze except for the twins and their little brother – Ronaldo who was glaring at them for their comments directed at him.("I reckon its for Ron." "He left a spider behind, it seems.")

"Won't you come in?" Hermione interrupted and led the elf into the house and suddenly the twins recognized her.

"Oh Golly, It's Usubi!" exclaimed George.

"Why, bless me, it is!"

And Usubi, who had been looking at them rather unabashedly since she entered, ran up to them. "I'm so glad. So glad."

Glad for what?" Ron asked as he watched Fred pick her up.

""Nothing." And in a flash of remembrance, Usubi pulled out a neat package and handed it to the boy. "For you." She squeaked meekly.

The redhead opened the package but not before shooting a dirty look at George who mouthed , "Told you."

"For you Harry." He passed the letter to him and read his own name and then Hermione's and everyone else was peering in their letters except for Usubi, who had been set down, somewhere during this and was busily cleaning the kitchen with some domestic spells.

It was dim outside. It was grey. It was raining. It was horrible and above all, it was sad.

When professor Mcgonagall had appeared in the Malfoy manor, she'd expected it to be desolate and devoid of its inhabitants except one. But didn't expect anything like it, when she saw the pale boy on the roof of the manor, just lying in the rain. Broken. Helpless. And rusted…

In the thin, falling rain, she walked to him. The young Malfoy, though aware of the change of pattern of sound he had been listening to for hours, lay there, unmoving and simply breathing. He had lost quite a lot, first a battle, then trust, and after that his self respect, his father, his mother and himself, all fell in succession. Almost as if, somebody had pushed the dominos, only this time it was everything that was important to him.

"What a mess you have made of yourself." Professor Mcgonagall said as she towered over the voice was quiet and pity almost crept in but didn't leave unnoticed.

 _That's all they can do now_. The boy thought. Yes, he was piteous. All his skills, his possibly bright career, his talents, all had been now washed away in the rain. He was pitiful, not by circumstances, but because he chose to be.

"Why are you here?" he opened his eyes and the former Gryffindor head noted the shine of ambition in them gone, lost probably. She saw he was no longer the bully she had known, he had become, now, just a boy, who had succumbed to his fate.

"How many days has it been?"

"Why are you here?" he repeated. This time with emphasis.

Professor Mcgonagall sighed. Despite everything he was still stubborn.

"Lets take this talk inside. "

"Could not be too long."

"It is, Mr. Malfoy. "

Draco closed his eyes again. Thinking, searching for the reason of the sudden appearance of his former teacher. Finding none, he relented. "Might as well hear you out."

He had nothing to lose, after all.

* * *

Author's note:

There you go, just as I promised. More characters! And please do be confused by all the Weasleys being intact. This is a part of the story that will be covered later on. It was quite a chapter, so please don't expect the other to be this long. Posted this chapter so soon, because I was once again motivated by shadythedragon. Thanks a million times. If you find any grammar or spelling mistake, please notify me in the review section or PM me. I am exceptionally particular about my grammar and spelling. (My father's an English teacher.) I hope you find the transition smooth though. Do read and review.


	4. A time for redeeming

Chapter 3: A time for redeeming.

Draco, after having changed his clothes and helped into new dry ones, sat staring into the fire. Professor Mcgonagall looked at him. She pitied him but there was no time or reason for pity. He was a criminal and so he must redeem.

"You have a letter." She broke the stillness between them but could not manage to bring his full attention to the subject.

"From the ministry?" he continued to gaze into the fireplace and watch the flame lick the insides of the structure. Crimson flames danced in his glassy eyes.

"From Hogwarts."

Draco's head snapped at her direction. The surprised look on his face went away as fast as it had come. Calmly, he said, "It was not a rehabilitation centre the last time I checked."

"It certainly isn't one now. But I am glad to inform you that it has now become a college?"

"You aren't taking twelve-year olds, anymore?"

"It seems like 7you have got the wrong idea, Mr. Malfoy. Hogwarts has a new addition – a college. And this," she pulled out the letter from her robes and handed it over to the young boy. "is your letter of admission."

Malfoy turned it round in his hands and looked at it as if it were a joke and voice the very same sentiment, "Is this a joke?"

"It isn't."

"So, why are you going around giving admission to a death eater?" Malfoy chuckled coldly. "Ministry, wasn't it?"

Professor Mcgonagall regarded him for a moment.

"If you must know, Mr. Malfoy. Yes. It was the ministry. However originally it had asked for a Hogwarts college to be made so that students interested in working for the ministry could simply study there and acquire the skills required. Then, it would be easier for both of them. The ministry wouldn't have to take apprentices and make workers out of them while students can start their career from a good position, instead of working their way up."

"And why me? I should think that I was to be put in the Azkaban once I was of age." Malfoy made a good point and argument.

"They decided to give you a chance."

He froze over.

Malfoy recovered from the shock many minutes later. And when he had, he wondered how the ministry could possibly be so kind.

"Of course, you'll be reforming yourself at the college."

"There was a catch." The boy leaned back comfortably. The sudden kindness made him uneasy so. "And what if I refuse?"

"Then you can wait, obviously. Wait to grow up and go to Azkaban." The lady rose from her seat. "Or study to grow up and become a respectable man."

As she proceeded towards the door she said, "The choice is all yours. And, in case you want to go back to Hogwarts, do see the letter. There are possible career options and whichever course you should select, go through the qualifications first and bring your supplies accordingly." She turned around, "And again, Mr. Malfoy. Good luck to you. I hope you will make the right choice." And then in a wave of her wand she disappeared, mid-walk.

Draco smirked.

Would he let such a chance go by?

Author's note:

Heya! Long time no see! dory for the short chapter. But anyway, The action is about to start. I think I can manage weekly updates. I am attending a law school and I love it! I have an entire row to myself! No friends, a few acquaintances and place where I can be mysterious. I love mystery so. At the moment I love Jerome k. Jerome as well.

So tell me how you like the chapter. Any suggestions? Anything would do. Even a blank review is appreciated. So please read and review! I would like a friend though. So will you be my friend?


	5. The start of it all

Chapter 4: The start of it all

Usubi's private life could not be more interesting. Whenever she took a day off, she sat in a corner of her six-foot cottage with a book (bought from either the muggle library or the Hogwarts library.) As a rule; she never left a book half-finished and endeavored to complete it in one sitting. It was on that on that particular day off that she had been reading, 'William' by Richmal Crompton – a muggle writer who had captured Usubi's imagination to an extent that she was never really the same when she completed a book. Usubi, when alone, was not really meek or submissive. She was, in fact, not even Usubi. she was either William Brown (As she presently was.) or Moby Dick or simply the king of the jungle – Simba. Her imagination and eloquence soared higher and higher every time she completed a book.

And so after she had closed her book that day, she emitted a low, dark, sinister laugh in an imitation to William. She was so busy in her impersonation that she hadn't noticed the owl flying in, with a letter for her. When she noticed the owl, she was surprised. But she took the letter and merely said, "Humph" hoping that was what William would've said. She read it and if she had been the public Usubi, that everyone knew, she might have staggered and fallen on her knees. But now she was Dick the dauntless (she never was a character for too long.) and with another mirthful laughter, she disappeared from the room.

The sorting of students had been completed by the time when the pass outs arrived. They had been informed that they would be taking quarters in the newly constructed tower near their old school and will study their respective subjects in the said building, while they must dine in the old one.

Obviously, while some of them had missed the grouping system, quite a few were glad not to have been sorted into houses, however, as one entered the great hall; one could easily see that there was still an air of tension and a physical distance between former Slytherins or deatheaters and the students of other houses. Not that Draco minded it to begin with.

After being left alone for months altogether, there was really nothing left to care for. If he had been the same, he would have smirked and made a cruel joke or two to the other Slytherins, except that there had been two major changes –

He wasn't the same conceited boy anymore. No one ever is, after all that one can be proud of has been snatched away so mercilessly.

There were no other former Slytherins. Almost all of them were either too scared to be shunned or too ashamed to return.

 _Thankfully_ , Draco thought to himself as he got up from the dinner (he realized he had no appetite.) _I've had enough sense about me to accept this proposal._

Draco walked out of them room and was walking down the corridor when suddenly a first year – a boy of twelve – ran up to him and stopped at a distance from him.

 _I am famous_ , Malfoy smirked to himself as he looked at the boy.

"You have been called to the office." The boy said and waited until he spotted the hint of recognition of the message in the older lad's face and the immediately ran away.

Draco Malfoy shrugged, debated whether he should go to his room to get a robe or not but finally deciding against it, walked on. On the way, he yawned a few times, stretched himself to try and feel refreshed but nothing seemed to remove that gnawing tiredness of months that had been lurking and lingering around him. He reached the gargoyle, which let him in without a moment's delay. And as he spiraled up, he yawned again. He reached the office.

"Time for my reformation"

Author's note:

I don't think I have been up to my promise. I beg your pardon for that. Uploaded this chapter simply because it is a festival here in India. So HAPPY RAKSHABANDHAN EVERYBODY! Please read and review. I would like to know your views! and by the way what do you think will happen in the next chapter? Moreover, do you like short chapters or long ones?


	6. Meeting with the reformer

Chapter 5: Meeting with the reformer

"Yes Professor?" Draco said. And was acknowledged with a gesture of hand that directed him to sit in one of the high backed chairs that lay before the desk.

"Would this be long?" Draco questioned himself as he was ceased by a sudden desire to yawn again. He was tired. From the journey. From the preparations. But even more from the memories.

The first thing that the boy noticed, when he sat down was a neat little ball of an elf beside him in a chair. He would have crinkled his nose in disgust, but at the moment he didn't feel like doing that either. The only thing he wanted was, to accept the terms and condition as soon as possible and then lapse into his bed. Sleeping, perhaps.

"Mr. Malfoy, I'm certain you are aware of the reason why you are here." Mcgonagall said.

"Yes." he would try and keep his words to a monosyllable as much as possible and as per requirement.

"Very well." The professor said and then looked at him. Months of half-starving and not sleeping had turned him paler and less livelier than before. "This is Usubi." Malfoy nodded in her direction and only caught a glimpse of her face when she looked up at him. (She had been burying her face in her hands or knees alternatively since she arrived. She liked to have something to do at all times.) "She'll be helping you with your reformation tasks. That is, she'll be watching you. Always. "

"Professor!" Draco would have said so himself and in the same tone of incredulity if Usubi hadn't jumped in her chair first.

"Is there a problem?" the headmistress looked at her pointedly and at once Usubi sat down remembering the rules of decorum and propriety.

"No." She squeaked. "Only, only…"

"Only?"

"I've never watched anyone before."

Draco would have laughed. He thought this little elf was afraid of him and it was only her fear of associating with a deatheater that had made her protest so. Probably she hadn't heard of him.

"That doesn't matter. In time, you'll learn quite enough about reforming wizards."

"Reforming?" This had captured her imagination. She saw herself reforming convicts, criminals and had already began feeling chock full of noble, kind and wise thoughts. And she fell in that line of trance for the time being.

"What am I to do?" Draco said. He felt he must sleep or die.

"Nothing much. Help around in the school."

"Like?"

"Fix things. Help your former teachers with assignments, arrangement or anything else."

Malfoy groaned inwardly. Must he be so low and become a servant now?

"Usubi will be accompanying you, of course."

"I see. when do I begin?" Draco hoped she would not say now.

"Whenever she sees fit."

Draco knew he had not been particularly kind to house elves in his entire life. Neither at the manor nor at the school. If she bore any hatred against him, she'd work him like a donkey.

"Not now." Usubi said abruptly. The look of determination on her face made Draco feel assured that she would be a slave driver. "I'll inform you after I have collected enough information."

"That would not be long then." He got up. He had a knack of knowing exactly when his presence was not required anymore. He had scarcely walked to the door when he heard –

"Do you want to know anything about him?"

To which the house elf replied "No thank you."

"She knows enough," Draco thought to himself. "To get the score even with her species"

Would coming back to Hogwarts prove to be a game changer after all?

Malfoy would have to be a fool to think otherwise.

* * *

Author's note:

There is another short chapter. I posted it only because I was a chapter ahead. Thanks for reading. I appreciate your time. If you feel generous, perhaps you will drop by a review.


	7. The first task

Chapter 6: The first task

Nothing on a significant note happened until a fortnight. Of course, that depends on what one would categorize as a notable event. For Draco however, the bumping of a certain house elf into his legs time and again in the library was of no importance. At one time though, when he was standing to get a few books, he saw Usubi issuing books of the following titles:

1\. Deranged minds: An analysis

2\. The inspiring speeches of Rev. Akerci Xujalbees.

3.18th issue of everything you ever wanted to know! Why wizards become deatheaters

4\. Dealing with the bad, the sad and the crooks

5\. Living in prison

6\. Losing and starting

7\. life in general

Except for such occurrences, the next and the only event that made Draco rather alarmed was the sudden appearance and disappearance of the little creature around him. Many a times, he had been jerked into attention in the class, when he felt her sudden presence beside his legs. (And to his dismay, when he looked down he found two lilac eyes staring at him and then again vanishing, leaving him to gaze at the vacant space. Almost as if he had been imagining it.)

Aside from these, nothing had happened to make life more exciting.

Fourteen days later; it was a particularly usual night. Malfoy had returned from the great hall having eaten just enough to save himself from starvation. He looked around in his room and hung his robe. He glanced at the table. It was piled with books and stacks of blank paper he should have written on. He moved towards it and looked at the mess, decided it was better to put off assignments for a later date and walked away.

He stretched himself on his journey to the four poster bed and sat down on it, took off his shoes and lay on the bed. For the first few minutes, he tossed around. And finally facing the lamp, settled down to sleep. He closed his eyes. Soon he would be asleep…

"Mr. Malafide?"

Draco grabbed his wand and in an instant had sprung into position.

"Who's there?" he pointed his wand at the lamp post. It was too dark to see. A disadvantage. "Luminous"

The tip of his wand glowed as he still pointed it at the lamp. In the dim light, he saw a mass of mahogany hair. Was it shaking on its own?

"Who are you?" he asked with extreme distrust.

"I-I'm sorry." came the reply. The possessor of the trembling mass of hair slid out of the gap between the bed and the desk.

"The damned house elf." Draco muttered to himself as he watched her stand before him and shuffle her weight fro one feet to the other. She had, in the meantime, glanced at him once. In that moment, Draco wasn't sure if he saw watery lilac eyes or a well of tears.

"I-I didn't mean-"

"Why are you here?" the boy illuminated the room and could clearly see the house elf now.

"Were you going to sleep?" Usubi wiped her tears with the back of her hand but still tears burst anew.

He had frightened her badly. But Draco didn't care a hang about it.

"Why are you here?"

"To inform you of your first task, Mr. Malafide."

Malfoy pinched the bridge of his nose. It was irritating a day enough and to think he will have to spend the whole night reforming himself. "What is it?"

Usubi sniffed, looked at Draco for a fraction of a second before getting absorbed in observing the carpet again. "We'll have to get the bugs out of the plants in the herbology greenhouse."

Just great, thought Draco.

"How many of these plants are there?"

"A hundred."

"And should I refuse?"

Usubi raised her head and even through her tears and messy hair, one could see the fire in her eyes. Unlike most house-elves, Usubi never backed down. "Then I will apparate you there."

Malfoy, with his experience with house elves, had not expected this. He was slightly shaken but nothing more. He didn't intend on staying. The only thing he intended was to get over the matter as quickly as possible.

"Fine." He got up from his bed, put on his shoes and robes and was ready to complete the task at hand. He walked to the door and was turning the door knob when –

"Mr. Malafide?"

"Malfoy." He stopped and turned around to find the annoying house elf with a hand outstretched towards him. She looked at him earnestly.

"Wouldn't apparating be faster?"

Draco was glad that the greenhouse was pitch dark and no one was around. He put a hand on the wall to steady himself (he hadn't apparated for so long.) while Usubi trotted off somewhere in between the rows of plants. She stopped once, cocked her head and then as if she had an idea took a sharp right turn.

"Mr. Malafide?"

Draco felt like smashing the mouth that called his name so distortedly.

"Are you alright, Mr. Malafide?"

He didn't reply. Instead he walked to the source of the voice and when he had almost reached her.

"MR. MALAFIDE?" shouted Usubi at the top of her lungs. She was afraid she had lost him somewhere or perhaps she hadn't apparated properly and the boy was injured.

However, Draco wasn't feeling nearly as concerned as the elf. His annoyance had reached its limit. He seized the elf and clamped his hand to her mouth. The ruckus had made him furious.

There was a silence for a few moments and Malfoy looked at the door, as if expecting somebody to walk in. Nobody did.

With a violent jerk, he turned her around and made Usubi face him. He savagely grasped her shoulders and she looked up at him, with tears ready to spill and a sob at the throat. She was shivering badly.

"You stop shouting." He said dangerously "Or I will five you a good reason to call me Malafide."

He felt her nod.

"Good. Now let's get to work."

* * *

Author's note:

I have a few things to say to you –

1\. All those book titles have been made by me. And incase you are wondering who Rev. Akerci Xujalbees is, he is one of socks. (Yes I name them.)

2\. For all those who are undoubtedly going to point out that Usubi is a house elf and house elves cant apparate with somebody, please wait, this is a plot point.

3\. I am writing a new attack on titans fanfic. It's levixOC If you are interested please read it.

4\. Personally, of all the fanfics I have read of DM, I must say I find the ones that deal with his reformation a bit insensible. Sorry, I mean no offence. I mean, he is a criminal and a criminal can never be reformed so quickly. His first instinct will always be violence.

5\. I apologize for the late update. Thunderstorms.

6\. Reviews?


	8. the second task

Chapter 7: The second task

Draco had been writing furiously ever since the sun had hidden itself. A week's neglected assignments due to be submitted tomorrow could make anyone do that. Two empty inkpots and a dew broken quills could give evidence for the fact that Malfoy indeed was trying hard, which was unusual but necessary seeing as there was nobody around to be bullied into doing his assignments. Moreover, he was in Hogwarts to reform himself.

He thought back to his first task. The elf had kept quiet for most of the time after that threat. The task took them about thirty minutes in which Draco had completed ten plants and Usubi the other ninety. Perhaps, making an elf a reformer wasn't that bad an idea to begin with. Elves could be forced to do almost anything very easily.

He continued noting down points from a book and keeping paper after paper in a stack. The light had been considerably dimmed from the time when he began. Draco looked at the candle. It had grown short and after a few more minutes, it would join the other martyred candles. Malfoy put his quill down and sighed, he would need a new candle. Lucky, he kept spare ones in his drawer. Malfoy bent down to open the last drawer.

"Mr. Malafide?"

Two lilac eyes caught him by surprise when he found his hand on the elf's head. He immediately pulled back his hand.

"What are you doing here?"

"You need a candle." Usubi put her hand into her bag and pulled out a candle.

"What on earth are you doing here?"

Usubi hobbled over to the edge and stood on her tiptoes to lean against the table top and light the candle. "Lighting a candle. Why?"

Draco felt the sudden urge to face palm. He watched her replace the candle and then with a valiant effort to calm himself, he said – "Since when have you been here?"

"Quite a while."

"Do you want anything? " Draco massaged his forehead. He had tons of work to do and he could not be bothered with a house elf.

"No"

"Get lost then." He resumed his writing. However, Usubi stood by his table. Only her hair and huge eyes were visible and the light from the candle gave them a most ghastly shadow. Draco, at first, found this disturbing. But soon learnt to control his desire to shove Usubi out the room and wrote on.

It was after an hour that Malfoy put down his quill again and stretched himself. He had finished his work and was ready to sleep. By this time he had forgotten the existence of that certain house elf who said, "Are you done, Mr. Malafide?"

"No." Malfoy got up from his chair and noticed her nod in what he though was a knowing manner (but what Usubi thought was how a sage would react to a lie.)

"We have to get on for today's reformation task." Usubi followed him around the room.

"Go and do it by yourself." Malfoy flopped down on his bed. He wanted to sleep so badly at that moment.

"But you have to come!"

"I don't want to." Draco turned over so as to avoid facing the elf and her determined eyes that pierced him through his back.

There was silence and after some moments had passed by, Draco heard Usubi sigh and then he felt that her eyes were not on him anymore.

That's a relief. Draco thought to himself and was settling to sleep when he realized he had not taken off his shoes. He groaned and sat up in his bed. He bent over to untie his shoes, when something fell on him and even before he knew what had struck him, he found himself in the familiar old dungeon of his potions class. He was sitting on the teacher's desk, shocked. A clump of mahogany hair on his shoulder was caught in his peripheral vision and the tiny arms on his sides helped him know exactly what had hit him.

"Why you-" Malfoy spun around and grasped the arm as it tried to retreat. He saw the elf on her knees on the desk. She was trembling like the last time but unlike the previous night there weren't tears in her eyes. "I told you, I wont be coming, didn't I?"

"That, you did." Said Usubi

Her composure annoyed him further; he hated to be out of bed when he was feeling particularly sleepy. And to think, he must not only be out of it but also be miles away from it, completing some stupid reformatory task.

"Take me back." He hissed.

"I will as soon as we have completed the task."

If Malfoy was shocked by her determined eyes the other night, he was staggered by her bluntness and courage this time. No elf had ever talked to him like that and he wasn't allowing it.

Draco gripped her arm and with a vicious push threw her off the desk, waiting to hear her crash against the floor. Only there was none. Instead there was –

"Perhaps you might want to begin early, Mr. Malafide."

Elves could apparate anytime, anywhere.

Draco turned to glare a t Usubi, who stood there holding a dirt cloth for him. He snatched it from her and stomped off directly to the rows of vials and glasses, waiting to be cleaned.

He wouldn't be messing with her. At least, not until he had learnt how to hex an elf.

* * *

Author's note

I almost thought I wouldn't be able to keep my promise this week. But somehow I managed it. Please be so kind as to review this chapter or at the very least my hard work.


	9. Forget and forgive

Chapter 8: Forget and forgive

A month had passed ever since the Hogwarts College had opened and so the number of nights in which Draco Malfoy had pottered under Usubi's instructions had become thirty. It had been a long month, yes. However, the tasks had seen no excitement other than the first two violent ones. And even though Draco knew nothing of the matter, he was called to the office when he had completed his thirty-first task the night before. The moment he had received the message he groaned. There was only one possibility – he was to be expelled for his miserable progress at his own remaking.

Draco looked at the message again. There was still an hour to go and he might as well utilize that time in packing his bags. He would not want to stay a minute after he was so rudely sent back to his manor. Thinking thus, he gathered his clothes from his wardrobe and pulled out his trunk. He flipped the lid open and threw his garments in. He never packed; it was the task of the house elves back at the manor. At the thought of house elves, his blood boiled. He didn't resent going back to the manor. The only thing he regretted was that he had faced utter humiliation at the hands of a mere elf and had performed tasks as low as dusting books in the library. Moreover, the prospect of a career seemed rather dim in Azkaban.

And before he departed from his room, he pulled out his wand and cast charms around it. He wasn't going to let that elf get into his room whenever she felt like it. What's more, he had taken great pains to learn how to stop elves from apparating helter-skelter (seeing as nobody's room was ever infested by annoying elves at odd hours of the day.) He walked down the corridors and reached the staircase. He looked at the gargoyle, longer than he usually did. It was his last time and he didn't mind capturing the ugly statue in his memory. Only the gargoyle seemed to have his reservations about this and made way for him. Draco sighed and stepped up on the stairs.

Malfoy knocked at the door and was called in. He saw the headmistress at her usual place – the desk. Her face didn't do anything to assuage him that he was not going to be turned out. The professor motioned him to the usual chair and Draco decided he wasn't going to beg for another chance. He sat down and noticed the stack of paper near her elbow. At once, he realized that those were reports on his reformation. He imagined for an instant Usubi writing them. Could house elves write? Perhaps, she could.

"Mr. Malfoy" the professor began.

"I will save you the trouble of spending your eloquence on me, professor." Draco didn't let her continue. If he was going to thrown out, he might as well leave with all his dignity intact. (or whatever was left of it as he felt quite a considerable amount of it had been chipped off by that house elf the last month.) "I realize why I have been summoned here today."

"You do?" Draco could not help but feel that there was a hint of amusement in professor McGonagall's voice.

"Yes." He said "I have packed my bags and am ready to leave this very instant."

"So." The professor put her hands together. "You would rather live in Azkaban than become an alchemist?"

"What do you mean?" Draco was shocked. Had the old woman finally lost it?

"I had called upon you only to congratulate you on your progress in reforming yourself. However you seem rather taken by the idea of leaving the college."

"No!" Draco said almost immediately. His face was playground of passing feelings of wonder and relief.

Professor Mcgonagall smiled. "And as a reward, you shall from now on perform only three tasks a week."

Now that was a pleasant surprise. "Thank you."

"You may leave now."

Draco got up and left.

He was greatly relieved. The dark pallor had escaped his countenance and an inscrutable expression of pleasantness had taken its place when he opened the door to his room.

"Mr. Malafide?"

His expression of happiness went as soon as it had come. He saw the wretched thing standing near the curtains of the window. He pulled out his wand and checked the charms. They were still intact.

"Are you okay Mr. Malafide?"

Draco turned away from her and busied himself in trying to wrap his head around the mysterious entry of the elf.

"You seem rather disturbed." Usubi stood near his elbow and tugged at the sleeve of his robe. She looked at him and then mistook his annoyance to be a symptom of some horrid disease. (She had been reading a list of patent medical advertisements the last day.)

"Can you speak, Mr. Malafide?" she had grown concerned ever since this possibility had dawned on her.

"I can, you dunderhead!" Malfoy tore his sleeve away from her grasp and walked away to the window.

The fact that he could speak comforted Usubi somewhat but her fears had not been entirely addressed.

"Is something bothering you?" she followed him to the window and climbed the stool near him.

"You." Draco pressed his forehead on the glass plane in an attempt to cool off his temper. "How did you get in here?"

Usubi craned her neck to try and see the pale boy's face but gave up eventually. She said, "With a key. I have been told keys are effective in locked rooms where you can't apparate."

She had the key to his room? This was getting ridiculous. And then the image of the headmistress handing the keys to Usubi popped into his head. But, suddenly the image distorted itself into one in which Usubi was handing the reports to the professor. it was then that Draco realized why he was staying back at Hogwarts.

"Did you write those reports?" Draco asked Usubi when she was in the middle of searching her bag.

Usubi cocked her head and tried to make sense of what she was being asked. "Oh! The reformatory reports?"

"Yes." Draco pushed himself away from the glass (soothing as it might be, he had work to attend to.)

Usubi nodded and then went back to searching her bag.

"What did you write in them?" he stood in front of her.

Usubi pulled out the paper she was searching for and handed it to him. "No tasks today. I just came to give you the timetable of your new reformation schedule. You have been informed about it?"

"What did you write in those reports?" Draco asked, this time dangerously. This elf was taking him as a joke. He would not live at Hogwarts at the mercy of a bloody house elf!

Usubi thought for a few minutes (she wasn't good at remembering.) while Draco put the paper rather savagely into his pocket. And then suddenly she said, "Why! All the tasks we did of course! The herbology task, the potion task, the dark arts task…"

"And you didn't mention the threats?"

"Which threats?"

At this, Draco snapped. He slammed his hand against the wall near Usubi's head. There was murder in his eyes. A murderous intent that rose out of wounded pride. He leant in closer and whispered dangerously, "These threats."

"Was I supposed to mention them?" Usubi had been unperturbed. She had jumped a little at being cornered against the wall but nothing more. "I am afraid I forgot about them."

It was then that Draco realized that Usubi was a house elf and house elves were used to such abuse. However, the fact that she completely forgot about them was hard to believe. He took back his hand.

"You forgot about them?" his tone was incredulous.

Usubi hopped off the stand as if nothing had happened and bobbed over to the door. She turned the knob.

"They are not pleasant things to remember after all."

That day, Mr. Malafide learnt a very valuable lesson.

* * *

Author's note –

I am sorry for being so late. It is 9:24 pm here right now. I was busy this week. Therefore, I couldn't get to write the rough draft. I have typed this in the PC directly and even though my greeting are a little late – HAPPY GANESH PUJA everyone!

Did you like the chapter? Reviews?


	10. Phase II

Chapter 9: Phase II

First of all, I love you A! Thanks a million for your review. I've tried my best to write this chapter as soon as possible. And yes I dedicate this chapter to you for your insightful comment. However, let me assure you that this fact was not hidden from me and I would like to remind you that elves are not subject to the same laws and magic as the wizards or witches. And perhaps you will allow me to sight a few incidents to support my theory –

1\. Kreature could apparate out of that cave while Regulus could not.

2\. Dobby was seen apparating in and out the Hogwarts school.

I hope this chapter is up to your expectations. And is this going too fast? I have a feeling it is. Anyway, do enjoy and I have a surprise for you at the end of it.

* * *

It was on Thursday that Draco Lucius Malfoy realized that things were never to be taken at their face value. The reduction in his tasks was only meant to mislead him and he could not help but feel bitter about it. And as he would testify, at any given moment, the entire problem began with the single most damning source – that elf.

And so to understand and sympathize with his feelings of vindictiveness one must go to that Thursday on the evening of which, he was in a rather good mood.

Therefore, it was on Thursday night that Draco stood in front of his door and took out his wand. (Keys had betrayed him the last time.) There were no tasks to do and no assignments to write. He could sleep in early and there would be no puny elf to disturb him. The thought of the elf's absence seemed to lift his mood and he entered his chambers. Upon his entering, he waved his wand and the candles all around flickered to life. However, it was a foreign moving object on his bed that caught his eye. he immediately pointed his wand at it and inched closer. At closer quarters, he realized that it wasn't an object but a creature intensely busy, gnawing his …pillows?

Neither his presence nor the lights seemed to be able to sway its concentration. Draco had reached the edge of the bed when, at once, he recognized the dismal clump of hair he had hoped to avoid.

"You!" he said, fighting to control his temper.

"Mr. Malafide?" Usubi looked up from her gnawing and Draco noticed that the pillow cover was not distinguishable from the stuffing.

"Are you a pillow eater?" he wearily put down his wand.

"Hm?" Usubi looked at him and then understood his question. "Oh no. I am only practicing."

"Practicing what?" Draco flopped down on his bed. A movement which caused the feathers on and around Usubi to scatter everywhere. He groaned and raised his arm to his eyes, covering them. So much for sleeping early.

"Sucking blood," She said. She had been reading Dracula and Halloween was at hand. "Vampires do. I want to be one in Halloween."

Draco knew what Halloween was. Usubi had been going on about it ever since their fifteenth task in the Hogwarts grounds. But frankly, he didn't see any point in it since they were surrounded by magical beast at all times.

"A mosquito would be more like it. They suck blood too."

Usubi was silent and Draco adjusted his forearm to see and found her contemplating.

"I think I'd need a straw then."

Sensing that the conversation could go on Malfoy changed the topic.

"How did you get in here?" At times, he felt it was a conversation starter with the stupid little elf.

"I broke in." Usubi jerked out of her reverie of being a mosquito. "Professor Mcgonagall taught me."

This was a first. Draco never deemed elves capable of mental activity, let alone learning. However, the fact that a professor was helping her get into his room irritated him and in that instant he abandoned all his future plans of trying to prevent the elf from coming in. he propelled himself on his elbows. "Today isn't a task day. If you came for the pillow, take it and leave."

"Really? Thank you." She was touched and immediately stuffed it into her bag and for the next few moments tried to catch the feathers that had escaped. Usubi, after collecting the feathers in the room, recalled the job that needed to be done and turned to face Draco, who had taken a short nap while she had engaged herself in her idiocies. "Mr. Malafide, I came today to inform you about phase two."

"What?" Draco bolted upright.

"Phase two." Usubi climbed down the bed, walked to the middle of the room and sat on his displaced table and chair. She looked at the empty chair, then at him. She repeated that movement twice before Draco finally understood that the chair was meant for him.

At first, indignation arose within him and he wanted to stomp over, catch hold of the elf by the scruff of her neck and toss her out the window. However, reason took the reins and he got up from his place, glaring at Usubi, on whom threats, glares, and other such violent indications were entirely wasted.

"Remind me again, why we are doing this on my day off?" Draco chose to stand and tower over the elf.

"Because that is the reason why you were given days off."

Malfoy felt betrayed. He ought to have smelled the rat when he first heard of the offer. Sneaky, that's what it was.

"What are we going to do exactly?"

"Oh, nothing. Just talk."

Draco was insulted. He hadn't talked to an elf in his whole life and now he was forced to chat with so lowly a member of it!

"Don't worry Mr. Malafide; it probably won't even be five minutes."

A moment longer than that would have been unbearable to him.

"I'll stand." Draco refused to be instructed.

"As you wish," Usubi said. "We'll discuss only one question today."

"Fine." He looked away. Malfoy wondered what sort of a question it would be. He wished the answer was only one word long so that he could get rid of her sooner.

"Mr. Malafide?"

"Get on with the question."

"Look at me.

"Why?"

"I would not know if you are telling the truth or not."

"You don't need to know." Draco was getting irritated when suddenly he felt warm hands hold his face and turn it. "What the heck?"

He found himself facing someone he didn't know. he could have sworn he had been talking to the elf a moment ago, but now he didn't recognize the face in front of him. In many of his past encounters, he had never really bothered to see the elf. Her tiny figure and hair were enough of a symbol to announce her presence. He realized then, that she was not what he often saw her to be. He noticed she had human features. A tiny notice, a mouth an absolutely normal skin tone. She was so unlike the elves he was habituated with. Usubi was exactly like a girl. However, as soon as he finished his observations, the shock of Usubi's countenance softened and he regained himself. He slapped away her hand and pulled himself to his full height.

"Why can't you just ask the stupid question!" Draco almost shouted and Usubi very nearly fell off the table.

"Alright, but when you answer you must look at me."

Malfoy gazed at the window on his right and saw the night deepening. He sighed. "Okay."

"Well, if you were to identify yourself with a creature, which one would it be?"

"Huh?" He didn't expect such a question.

"I mean," Usubi elaborated. "Like I identify myself with a worm because it is so hard working and happy at all times."

"Then," Malfoy looked sharply at her. His ice blue eyes gave a cruel coldness to his words. "I would be a bird that tears worms to pieces."

"Thank you, that would do." Usubi didn't miss the intention in his answer and scampered down the table.

"Allow me to kick you out the door so as to hasten your exit." Draco picked up the house elf and deposited her outside his room. He slammed the door on her and went to bed.

That night, however, Draco tossed around in his bed for quite a good while. "What would I identify myself with?" he murmured to himself.

He had, at that moment, answered in a spirit of frustration but when he thought about it, he realized he'd indeed be a bird.

A bird caged in the bars of rage. His wings are clipped, his feet are tied. He stands on the grave of his dreams.

* * *

Author's note:

I am extremely sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. Even though I had written it, I could not post it primarily due to the absence of our internet connection. Anyway for all my reader, I have made an Usubi doodle sheet which can be viewed under the same name when googled. Thanks a lot for your time. Drop me a line?


	11. And the phase continues

Chapter 10: And the phase continues.

* * *

I am sorry for the late update. First of all thanks to NarutoGirl7 and Rose Nieman-Black-Targaryen I dedicate this chapter to them. And of course merry Christmas!

* * *

The October drizzle found Draco sitting on his desk with his head in his hands. The water falling on the window panes observed that a blank sheet of paper lay before him and his elbows were surrounded by a number of colors. However, nothing about the scene was as prominent as the mounting annoyance of the boy that seemed to seep into every inch of his body. This increasing anger was accompanied by a maddening chant of "I draw, you draw, we draw, they draw…"

And just as Malfoy's temper neared 'extreme anger', the chanting stopped all at once. Draco raised his head wearily.

"Are you done, Mr. Malafide?"

"Yes." Draco handed over the blank piece of art.

"Um." Usubi looked at it and then cocked her head in the right and then in the left. She laid down the paper and stood up on the chair. She tried to look at the paper from different angles. "Is this how you feel Mr. Malafide? Blank?"

"No."

"Then?"

"I felt like killing you."

"Oh." Usubi looked at the paper again. "But there's no picture."

"Your body was buried."

"And what about you?"

"Nobody stays after committing a murder."

"Right. Of course, my bad." The elf nodded, picked up the picture and rolled it up carefully before putting it away. She bowed and then apparated away, much to Malfoy's relief.

Draco slunk back into his chair. He looked at the ceiling and tried to listen to the rain.

Pitter, patter, it went. Almost in a mind numbing motion.

Draco continued to listen to it until he could hear it no more. The silence sat heavy on his ears; it fogged his brain, deepened his breathing, froze his limbs and left him, utterly incapable of any thought. There was in this strangeness a sweet solace, a wanted solidarity. He straightened up in his chair and cracked his neck. He pushed away from the table and was going to stand up when he remembered that he had to submit his medicinal herbology assignment tomorrow. He let a groan escape him and sat back down to open his drawer and retrieve a half finished essay on 'Advantages and disadvantages of the Aruta plant.'

And so, after arranging the necessary equipment on his table, he scanned though the previous writing and decided to tackle the disadvantages of the said species.

"Even though, the Aruta plant is known to cure a wide range of maladies," he wrote. "It is very difficult to handle and thus of not much practical use. It needs to be measured with extreme precision as milligram can either kill or save a life." Draco referred to a book nearby. "In the Meritt case of 195, the doctor mixed 0.08 mg of Aruta powder with a portion of Esor extract" He felt a warm sensation on his neck but chose to ignore it. "And gave it to the patient who died instantaneously."

"That's sad." A voice sounded near his left ear. "Why did he die anyway?"

"Because the concentration was supposed to be 0.06 milligrams of Aruta powder in one portion of Esor extract." Draco explained mechanically, he gave no second thought to the "Oh." That followed for he had quite a few more passages to write.

And so even though he felt the warmth linger, he didn't care to check about it and wrote on to complete the essay in the next fifteen minutes. After putting the last full stop, Draco put down his quill and stretched himself. He got up from his seat and his shoulders felt unnaturally heavy.

"Are you going to sleep, Mr. Malafide?"

And in a split second, Malfoy recognized the burden on his back to be the blooming house elf. At this realization, Draco turned around savagely, making the unsuspecting house elf lose her grip and this sent her flying through the air.

"What do you think you are doing?" he growled when Usubi landed on the carpet with a thud.

"Why, hugging you of course!" said Usubi as she stood up and nursed her aching bottom.

Draco stopped short. Not because he was surprised at the simplicity with which the elf answered him but because he was amazed at the impunity of the elf. A mere elf hugging a pure blood! Umph! Such disgrace! And he could have gone on with expletives in his mind had he not stopped himself from generating thoughts along these lines. Instead of bursting out, he asked in a dangerously calm voice, "Why did you do that?"

"Because love is all we need!" Usubi said brightly. (She never really could understand the meaning behind the different modulations of voice.)

This caught him off guard.

"And hugging is a beautiful expression of love. I noticed you don't even get one hug a day while we need at least three hugs a day for well-being."

"And so you suggest I go and hug every person I meet?" Draco said sarcastically.

"I do that! And so I get fifty hugs a day!" More often than not, sarcasm bounded off Usubi. "But don't worry Mr. Malafide, I am sure you will get three hugs. You are not half as bad and in case you don't, I am always there to help you." Speaking thus, Usubi vanished, leaving Draco dumbfounded and highly annoyed. But if anybody asked him if felt repulsed at the elf's touch, he'd lie.

* * *

Author's note:

Oh, do Read and review. Moreover, I am opening an art commission in which I will do art for you people in exchange for reviews. If anybody is interested, please contact me for details and terms.


	12. True reformation

Chapter 11: True reformation

The first damp week of November turned out to be the onset of the cold of the second week. Hogwarts' students could be seen pulling up their collars and rubbing their palms together in dungeons. Despite the chill in the air, excitement floated around for the end of the second week bought with it the first Hogsmeade trip of that year. By Saturday, the students seemed to be thrilled and were being more jovial than usual. Everybody, except Draco, was eager at returning to the fun. He was not going to the trip for primarily two reasons –

1\. He had had his permission seized by the ministry after his return.

2\. He, himself, could not feel up to the task of having people whispering or pointing at him (as if Hogwarts wasn't enough.)

So, when Sunday came, Hogwarts became devoid of significant mobile life by noon. It was, at this time, that Draco chose to move out of his quarters (he tried avoiding as much as possible and more often than not succeeded) and proceed to the owlery. He moved leisurely on the staircases and walked through the halls before reaching his desired location. Draco had no idea what he would do in there and so he thought of peering at the birds before he was unostentatiously apparated away by the house elf for some other menial task. Thinking thus, he stepped into the owlery only to be shocked and grieved to see the house-elf, he had so fervently hoped to miss.

"Nice day to be cleaning the owlery isn't it?" the source of his sorrow spoke as he momentarily allowed himself to look around the room. It was when he was scanning his surroundings that an idea struck him and this idea, as probable as it seemed was rather disconcerting.

"Tell me," Malfoy walked ti the owl nearest to him. "Did you just begin cleaning?"

"Aye –aye, Captain." Usubi has been dying to say this as she fancied herself to be a pirate underling (she had been previously reading Peter Pan)

"Aren't elves supposed to do their jobs unseen?"He tried to stroke the owl but it flitted away.

"Aye –aye, Captain."

"Then," he turned around to face the elf. "Surely, you should have started at night?"

"Surely, surely." Usubi nodded in agreement.

"You weren't cleaning." Malfoy accused point blank. "You were following me."

He looked sharply at the house elf, who staggered for a second but showed no other signs of emotion except indifference.

"Yes." She didn't even bear the tight lipped smile of a trapped liar. On the contrary, she smiled her usual sunny smile.

"Why?" Draco stared fixedly at the upturned face with a distinct expression of mingled disgust and distrust. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he felt as though a break in eye contact would be fatal.

"That's my job. I am supposed to reform you."

"And you think I am reforming?" He scoffed.

"No." This surprised Draco. He knew that Usubi was blunt about things but to admit her own failure so plainly rejoiced him slightly.

"No." Usubi repeated and bent her head, as if to she spoke with herself. "Nobody reforms. A person can suppress his true nature at best."

"What?" Draco questioned her pondering. Had she thought that he was hopeless from the very start?

Usubi looked up, but this time her eyes were hollow and though Malfoy gazed into them he found them distant as if he were staring into a lilac well.

"Nobody reforms, Mr. Malafide. Nobody. " she smiled at him but he instantly distinguished it from her earlier smile. It seemed as though that unusual stretch of lips did not belong there. "Not even me."

And with that she disappeared.

* * *

Author's note –

I am sorry for not posting anything for such a long time!and even after not posting I came up with such a short chapter. :( But with exams and law and stuff, I got busy (read lazy.) Anyway, what do you think of the chapter? Please do tell me.

Oh and I have posted a lot of this fanfiction art on deviantart, so if anyone is interested, please type the fanfic name and you will get the pictures. On the second thought, just PM me if you would like to see the images or you can also go to my deviant account (I go by the name Akilarup) and visit the Mr. Malafide folder.


	13. The tiny hut

Chapter 12: The tiny hut

Her words left him shocked and curious. Shocked because he had never expected her to give up on him. Curious because she had included herself. However, it was primarily shock that lead his way to the common room and caused him to lapse into the nearest armchair. He stared into the cold fireplace unfocusedly while the elf's words flitted in and out of his thoughts. Hours went by and before he knew it, the common room started showing signs of life, this made him get up and leave for his own room.

"She would be waiting." He said to himself and most of his curiosity had drained at the thought of a task ahead.

Sure enough, when Draco reached his room, he found the elf sitting on the edge of his bed, swinging her legs merrily.

"Will we be done soon?" he asked

"Depends."

"On?"

"The rate at which you can collect Inajes herb. It will be good practice."

Draco remembered that the Inajes herb was difficult to distinguish from the common cuscus and the herbs in order to spite the wizards grew in close proximity with their look-alikes Moreover, his professor of alchemy did say that they would be studying the healing properties of the herb the next class.

"Fine." Malfoy said and expected to be apparated wherever he was destined to be at that moment.

"Mr. Malafide? Aren't you coming?" Malfoy saw Usubi looking quizzically towards him.

"Aren't we going to apparated?"

"I am." Usubi answered. "You will be walking to the forbidden forest."

Draco was shocked for the second time that day and this time he wanted to demand an explanation, but his pride didn't allow it and he walked out of the room, holding his head high and feeling slightly silly.

It wasn't lights out yet, so Malfoy maneuvered quickly through the thinning crowd and broke into a run as soon as he was out of the college's main gate. After 10 minutes of continous running, he reached the edge of the forest breathlessly.

"You are fast, Mr. Malafide." The elf said from beside him. She had crouched down and was following the end of an ant's trail.

Draco looked vindictively at Usubi for a moment but decided to hold his peace.

"Where can I find this herb?"

"Everywhere." Usubi answered as she reached the ant hill. She skipped back to him. "We can start around the edge for today." And handed him a basket. Malfoy glanced at the elf and saw her holding a basket much larger than his own and already filled to the quarter. "I will be around the corner. Call me if you need anything."

Draco mentally noted that her would not call her even if he was attacked by a group of thestrals. He watched her skip away and then looked up at the moon. There was light enough, but the consistently clouded sky made it impossible for the moon to linger for long. Malfoy sighed and pulled out his wand.

 _"Lumos."_

The tip of his wand instantly lighted up and he put the wand in between his lips and knelt on the ground to start the work.

At first, Draco carefully examined the plants before uprooting the desired herb. But half an hour later, the exercise became tedious and though he wouldn't admit it, somewhere in the back of his mind, he was impressed with Usubi's herb picking skill. Setting aside his thoughts, he got up from his position, stretched himself and glanced at his basket – it was halfway up the mark. Malfoy looked at the surrounding herbs once more, decided it was a bad patch of land and moved on in the hope of finding a Inajes cluster. (He knew it was impossible because Inajes plants were poisonous to each other.)

As he sidled along the path lazily (bending only once or twice to pick up what he thought was definitely the herb.), he realized he had covered quite a large distance. It was after another minute of walking (and stopping once.) that he saw the elf stuffing her overloaded basket with herbs but Draco was more interested in the tiny hut that stood behind her. No lights defined it, only the soft moonlight gave the hut its shape to the viewer's eye.

"Are you done, Mr. Malafide?"

Malfoy cursorily swept his eyes over both of their baskets and felt that combined they had enough. "Yes."

"Very good. I suppose we should get moving then." Usubi said picking up her basket. She looked as though she would get quashed under its weight. (Draco hoped she would.) "Let move then."

Draco stared a moment longer at the hut.

"That would be my house, Mr. Malafide." Usubi said suddenly as though answering a question.

"Hm." Draco curtly nodded. He had been curious, yes. But he didn't like to have his curiosity satisfied by the house elf. He picked up his basket and put his free hand in his pocket. They turned to leave, when a piercing scream cut the air. "What the-?"

Draco spun around wildly and tried to locate the source. A second later, he found it to be emerging from the hut. Draco had dropped his basket his sudden twist and was about to dash towards the scream when he felt his cloak jerk. And before he knew it, he was spinning and falling and finally he plopped on his bed. The sudden apparition had dizzied his head.

"What just happened?" he growled to himself.

"Nothing." Usubi's voice startled him. "I will submit the baskets. The night is too dark. You ought to sleep."

"What WAS that scream?" he asked the already retreating Usubi.

The elf looked over her shoulder and Malfoy saw the same unfathomable smile. "That would be mother."

Then she disappeared, exactly like she had, ten hours ago.

* * *

Author's note –

Yay! Finally my summer holidays have begun. I will be updating faster now as a compensation for all those slow times and the coming slower times as well.

Anyway, what did you think of this chapter? Do you think it was too rushed? Has your opinion of Usubi changed?

You perhaps felt it too, I was so tempted to add the conventional sweet scenes but I decided against it, in the end. Mostly because Draco would never do that (read because he is such a tsundere.) and I am proud of this chapter because it is of such a respectable length. LOL.


	14. The month that was

Chapter 13: The month that was

Usubi's absence rarely bothered Draco. And he wished that her absence didn't bother him this time as well. But it did. More so, because of what she had said the last time.

 _"Nobody reforms, Mr. Malafide"_

Draco's memory replayed the elf's face over and over again as though the incident were set on a loop.

Over the course of a month, his anxiety grew gradually. By the first of December, he had fallen back to his melancholic ways. He fed himself and barely survived. Most of his time was spent pondering. Wondering what had made him seem a gone case all of a sudden. The fear that he would be going back to Azkaban returned. At times, he would find his fear baseless but the absence of calls or communication poured oil on his flaming fear. Despite everything, Draco knew himself to be a coward and nothing could make him brave especially when he was so weakened and vulnerable.

The week next saw him locked in his room, staring at the books hopelessly. He had been wrecked completely. Anxiety had eaten him inside out. At time, he would stare at nothing as though expecting the elf to appear and announce that they would be discussing baboons that day. But she didn't.

He waited to get owls but there were none. He waited for a summon but there were none. On the 13th of December he couldn't take it any longer. He decided to meet Professor Mcgonagall himself. When the clock struck eight, Malfoy got up from his bed, determined to resolve the matter. He walked up to the door and was about to turn the knob when he heard a tap behind him. He didn't swing around abruptly. Malfoy waited a moment longer and heard the tapping noise intensify as if someone were impatient. He turned to the window and pulled back the curtains. Draco had hoped to find a freezing elf in the December snow. He hoped to told that he had successfully interfered with her entry but what he found was beyond him.

Draco looked down to see a large tawny owl glaring at him from the other side of the window. At once, he felt like drawing back the curtains and returning to his business. But the familiarity of the owl struck him. With a sigh, he opened the window to let the owl in. The owl flew in to the unburnt mantel shelf and rested there for a minute. Finding no solace in the cold, the owl sought to leave the room as soon as possible, thereby, acting upon this decision, it flew back to Draco, lifted its leg and cast a significant look at the boy.

"A letter?" Draco murmured as he untied the parchment from the owl's leg. "For me?"

The owl flew away and it was only the Hogwarts stamp on the paper that helped him realize that he had finally received a letter from the head. He unrolled the parchment and was disappointed with the lack of content in it for it only held the words –

 _HENCEFORTH, YOU ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED TO ATTEND TO TASKS._

But when the words seeped in, they hit him almost like a curse. Only worse. Malfoy read and re-read the message as if willing them to change, to rearrange themselves in fashion that would shock him less. Nothing like that happened though.

The next moment, Draco didn't feel the parchment slip through his hands. Neither did he realize that he was turning the knob and blindly stomping on the corridors to the headmaster's room. Nor did he notice the gargoyle step aside without a password when he strode in the chambers, as though expecting him.

"Professor McGonagall." Draco said as he entered the chamber, his voice shaking slightly.

"Have a seat, Malfoy."

Draco sat down and began at once. "I waited, professor. I waited for weeks."

"For?" The head asked as she made a glass of water appear before him.

"For notice!" Draco barked. "I waited for so long. It killed me. And now, after all this time, you are telling me to stop and go to Azkaban! You could have told me that the first day! Why did you-"

"And I am assuming your rude outburst pertains to the message earlier." Professor Mcgonagall cut in sharply.

"Yes." Draco breathed.

"Perhaps you will tell me why you are so enraptured by the idea of being sent off to Azkaban. It is not the prettiest of places."

"What? I-"

"Did the message mention anything about packing you bags and leaving as soon as possible?"

"No. But-"

"What did it say _exactly_?"

"Henceforth, you are no longer required to attend to tasks." He recited.

"And what part of it were you not able to comprehend?"

"What do you mean?" Draco rose from his seat. "If I am not doing tasks, I am not reforming. In that case, I am supposed to go to Azkaban, right?"

"You will sit down Malfoy.' The headmistress said and begrudgingly, Draco sat down. "How you reform and the process involved therein shall be decided by your reformer."

"The elf doesn't want me to do tasks anymore?"

"Apparently, yes."

"Why?"

"Because she won't be able to accompany you to tasks anymore and according to her, that defeats the whole purpose of it."

Draco took this in and fell back into his chair. Lost in thoughts, he sat silently for many minutes before speaking again. "Where is she?"

"St. Mungo's. The critical unit." The professor replied after a moment. "You ought to visit her."

* * *

Author's note –

Uploaded this chapter a bit later than I thought. But with the cyclone Roanu and stuff, I suppose that'd happen. Anyway special thanks to Se acerca el invierno who started following my story and everybody who had read it. (I saw the stats and its overwhelming.) Thank you. I will try and upload the next chapter sooner.

Reviews are highly appreciated.


	15. St Mungo's

Chapter – 14: St. Mungo's

Draco did as he was told. Though the aspect of visiting his reformer did not particularly strike him as a happy one, he decided to act upon the professor's suggestion. And thus, he reached the wizard hospital on Saturday the 20th. (He had dilly-dallied for a week, hoping all the while for the elf to come back herself without him having to take the unpleasant journey to the hospital.)

Malfoy walked to the counter.

"Yes, how may I help you?" the welcome witch looked up, apparently unfazed with the sudden appearance of a war criminal.

"I am here to see an house elf." Even after almost four months, Draco still considered it beneath him to call the elf by her name.

The receptionist looked down in her list. "That'd be the fourth floor, room 221."

"Thank you." Draco walked off. He tried to speed up moderately so as to avoid the risk of dying from the number of eye that seemed to be piercing through him.

"Should have brought a mask." He thought as he crossed the staircase to the third floor. "But that would have attracted even more attention."

He found the fourth floor to be sparsely populated and he was thankful for it. He walked the hallways and found the room easily. Standing in front of the room, Draco decided against knocking (the elf didn't and he was certainly not going to respect her privacy either.) and walked in. he was relieved to the find it empty, save for the mahogany haired occupant, who turned her head in his direction as soon as he entered.

"Mr. Malafide!"

Malfoy didn't respond, instead he walked up to her bed

"Are you here to see me?" Draco pulled the nearby stool to the bed and planned his next course of action even as the elf kept asking him a variety of questions. He concluded that it would be best (and to his benefit) if he sat for no more than two minutes and walked off. (Professor McGonagall surely had not mentioned a need to talk to the elf.

Thirty seconds had passed and to spend the rest of the ninety seconds, Draco graced Usubi with a look. But what he saw startled him. He didn't recognize her. The girl in front of him had longer hair and was taller than the elf by almost a feet and a half.

"Mr. Malafide! Is everything alright?" it was definitely the elf, but the sudden increase in her height had made Draco suspicious. He suspected her of being a bamboo in disguise.

"Mr. Malafide." Draco had spaced out and when he came back to reality he found the elf reaching out for his face.

"I'm fine." He swatted her hand away.

Usubi took back her hand and smiled. "I am glad then. I was worried."

"Why?"

"Because you are a fool." Draco felt like hitting her. Patient or not.

"Because," she began again. "You are reckless and weak. You are vulnerable right now. I was afraid that you'd act rashly like locking yourself up and constantly thinking about going to Azkaban."

Malfoy's breathing hitched. "So, you think I am a coward? That, I am forever running away?"

"Yes. I do think you are running away but you are not a coward." Usubi looked into his eyes. "You are brave, Mr. Malafide. You say what you think, you came back to Hogwarts. You made this trip despite everything you have faced a lot and handled it alone." She patted Malfoy's head.

"You have done more than enough."

Draco pulled Usubi's hand away and stood up, towering over her. "That would be the end of my visit.

He said and left.

Outside the room, the boy found himself breathing easier than he had entered. Malfoy didn't know it, but at times all one wanted to hear was that one hand done enough.

* * *

Author's note

Not the longest of chapters I admit. But I can't elongate an event more than necessary and I like to take things in little steps. I sorry I uploaded this chapter so late. But I must thank Moonlightbreese for reviewing my story and all those who read the story. I will be uploading the next chapter after or on 20th of july because I have these exams to take of. So, till then!

P.S – have a happy Rajo!


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